CHRIS CHRISTIE ON JARED KUSHNER: 'He deserves the scrutiny' he's getting in the Russia investigation
- Republican Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey said that White House senior adviser and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner "deserves the scrutiny" he's getting from the ongoing Russia probe.
- Christie reasoned that Kushner "was involved in the transition and involved in meetings that call into question his role."
Republican Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey said that White House senior adviser and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner "deserves the scrutiny" he's getting from the ongoing Russia probe that has so far ensnared three former Trump aides.
"I'm telling you that he deserves the scrutiny, you know why? Because he was involved in the transition and involved in meetings that call into question his role," Christie said to MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace on Tuesday. "And the facts will determine that ultimately."
Special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's meddling in the 2016 presidential election and its possible ties with the Trump campaign has reportedly set its sights into Kushner's role during the campaign and Trump's transition to the White House.
Issues surrounding Kushner's security clearance form and prior conversations he had with Russian officials - including one where he reportedly floated the idea of setting up a back-channel line of communication to Moscow with former Russian ambassador Sergei Kislyak - has reportedly raised eyebrows from investigators.
Kushner was interviewed by Mueller's team in November, who specifically asked questions about former national security adviser Michael Flynn. Flynn pleaded guilty earlier this month to lying to the FBI about his prior conversations with Russian officials.
Christie said if it turns out that Kushner is innocent of any wrongdoing, "that will come out as Mueller examines all the facts."
"And if he's not, that will come out too," he said.
Christie, who was fired from the transition team, has had a contentious history with the Kushner family. While he was a US attorney, Christie successfully prosecuted Kushner's father, real estate mogul Charles Kushner for tax evasion, lying to the Federal Election Commission, and retaliating against a federal witness.
"Seeing my father's situation, I felt what happened was obviously unjust in terms of the way they pursued him," Kushner said during an interview in 2014.